Here are four I remember:
1. Dance in a fountain
When I googled searching for pictures of "dancing in a fountain" I could only find pictures of teenage girls doing it. I think this tells you something about that goal.
2. Punch someone in the face
I drew this picture myself. I don't know why the person I decided to draw as being punched is a biker. It is just random.
3. Learn to drive stick
This is the most boring of my goals and one I still want to achieve. I am kind of embarrassed that I can't drive stick.
4. Write a book
Now we have come to the real subject of my blog.
I think a lot of people have this goal. Today I have finally decided to do achieve it. I was inspired by Nanowrimo. I won't be working next semester (there were no teaching positions available during the hours when Chris could watch Sophie) so I should have time to write ten pages a day. I plan to start January fifth.
There is just one problem.
I am really bad at fiction. Seriously bad. Mostly, I am just bad at imagining plots. I have taken fiction classes, but I could never think of stuff to write about so I always wrote true things and then tried to pass them off as fiction. I changed the names or the seasons so they were not so real.
But I really really really want to write a novel. So, here's my question: um, do you guys have any plot ideas that you wouldn't mind me stealing? Or even just good characters? Or maybe just a little scene that you have always thought would be good in a book? Anything? If you give me anything I can use I will definitely name a major character after you and/or write an acknowledgment to you. That's cool, no?
There are lists and lists of ideas online, but that seems kind of distant--besides, having a character named after you is pretty cool. Anyway, the book will probably be published and make super big money and you will be so famous and maybe be an extra in the movie adaptation.
Also, feel free to jot down your own ten things to do before you die lists. In fact, I think that should be Alison's next post on her own blog.
12 comments:
Oh man. I got so excited when I read your post. So excited, in fact, that my mind has blanked out on all cool plot or character ideas. But I will definitely get back to you. Definitely.
Also, you would be a lucky woman indeed to have my mom respond to your plea as she is, admitedly, the master. Maybe you better grovel or something.
Idea Number One:
You could write a fictional piece about my life. There are certainly enough dramatic experiences.
P.S. Don't believe any ideas Bryan gives you. He is sitting at the computer next to me cheating (looking at plot ideas online).
First of all, i was NOT looking at plot lines. I was looking at ethical situations that teachers are sometimes put in, like making a test grade higher than it should be for a failing football player.
Anyway, if I were to write a novel, I would write it about a character who mirrors Lucifer. Not in a weird, twisted sort of way (no devil worship or anything like that.)I would face it the way John Steinbeck does in "East of Eden," with the story of Cain and Abel. Or like Darth Vader. Someone who was exceptionally good and thinks he has a great idea of how to help people and gets frustrated that those who he had previously considered down-to-earth people don't understand him. And then because he gets so angry he just wants to get revenge. I guess that book would be a bit of a tragedy, but I would think it would be interesting--mainly because I think Satan is sometimes misunderstood. Or because he HOPES that we think he is misunderstood. Hmmm...
I'm not very good at coming up with ideas of things to write about. When given that assignment in any class, I just draw a blank. I don't really like to do write. But they say to write about what you know, and you have had some pretty amazing experiences. I like how you write and love reading anything you write.
Also, I taught Nathan and Alison (she can do it, she just needs to practice more) how to drive stick. We have an old Honda that I can teach you on in all your spare time in a couple of weeks, if you wish. We can just put the guys in charge of Sophia and the kitchen and go out driving!
don't fall for it anna.
she just wants to see you try and then she'll laugh at you. stick is no fun. trust me... i know. i have almost died plenty of times.
an idea for a good novel would be like a spin-off of a fairy-tale. my friend is doing that, and i thought it was a good idea.
worts
Awesome! I have no contributions to a possible storyline. I do not write fiction for a reason. The most creative thing I've ever done along that line is think up Law & Order episode premises with my friends in high school.
But I'll proof-read it when you're done, if you want. :)
You should write a children's book. And have pictures in it that you or Chris could draw. It could be about Soapy and her flower friends or something. Or how her most favorite uncle (me) takes her on cool adventures.
Or, make a series of children's about a family of lemurs and call them "The Lewis Lemurs." Kind of like the Berenstein Bears. Hahaha, but yeah, childrens books are the best.
boado
Is it just me that noticed that there were not 10 things listed? Just 4. Now #4 is a big one. I am going to email you something.I hope it helps. I took a class online for scrapbooking called Stories in Hand. It helps you to have a story to tell, for whatever reason. It comes with a lot of prompts, you could go through the prompts. Find a real life experience and put in a fictional story.
Anna I want you to know that I have really put some thought into what you could write about. I have two ideas for you. The first one is to look up a folklore or legend and write a twist off of that. The second idea would be to pick an event in history and write about a persons experience through the events. In both cases you already have a story line that you can work with to make it your own. After thinking about what you could write about has inspired me to try to write a book as well. Thank you again Anna for being an inspiration to me.ulgata
Katie's wrong, I stink at fiction plots. I remember one time a teacher told me that my story got "an A in language and a D in plot." Plots are really, really hard for me.
But I think Bryan might be onto something...a novel about a college writing teacher who is being pressured to raise the grade of a football player. Wait, that's a short story. Ok, that could be part of the novel - there has to be a love interest, too - and maybe the football coach is the other guy trying to date this cute young college writing teacher. So she's torn between the football coach (no good) and some other guy who is far more worthy of her love, and the way she finally figures it out is when they go dancing in a fountain, in this totally spontaneous moment, and it all becomes very clear to her.
Or something like that.
Have fun! I love Nanowrimo. Or at least I love the IDEA of it - I've never done it, but I have some students who have. (One of my high school students just had a publisher ask her to send 3 chapters of her novel - how does that stink - this girl is only 17!!! I can't take any credit - I'm the nonfiction teacher, not the fiction/poetry teacher.)
Good for you to set the time aside to write. Katie's brother, David, is going to do that starting in Dec since he can't find a job and he's had a story in his head for at least 10 years.
I love to read anything you write. Funny, I was watching "Stranger than Fiction" the other day and decided that I want to write a novel. However, I have the same problem as you. I can't think of any ideas. I have no imagination what so ever.
Just take one of these little situations you set up with Soaps and use that as a starting point. You are always thinking up crazy things to do with her.
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